The Alpha's Regret: When He Cut Me Off for His Secretary

At the racecourse, my fiancé Kane Gray's assistant, Julie Carter, had swiped my card to gamble on the horses. She had even mocked me relentlessly, saying I was nothing but a poor girl trying to climb the social ladder. I had canceled the card on the spot, leaving her with no way to pay for her bets. Not only had she almost ended up being thrown to the wolves over the debt, but she had also been forced to sign a loan agreement with outrageous interest. When Kane returned home, he only kissed my cheek. "Why are you getting worked up over an Omega? Look how frightened she is. She's been crying nonstop." He hadn't blamed me. Instead, he arranged an engagement ceremony that stunned the entire world. The proposal was streamed live globally that night, and every werewolf was convinced I was the future Luna. But when the time came to settle the bill, Kane vanished without a trace. The vendors responsible for the proposal ceremony rushed in one after another and tossed a black card onto the table in front of me. "Nora, your card's frozen!" "Frozen?" I was caught completely off guard. "Yes, the total amount is $8 million. Please settle the payment immediately." $8 million? To Kane, that amount was probably nothing more than the expense of a spring hunt. But to me, it was a fortune I couldn't have earned in three lifetimes. The extravagant castle engagement ceremony had cost a staggering amount. From the royal orchestra to the breathtaking light show, every detail had been designed to be the grandest possible. When Kane told me he wanted to give me the most magnificent Luna coronation ceremony, I hesitated. But he had lifted my chin, smiling with absolute confidence. "Nora, you deserve it." Yet now, I was still standing here, while Kane was nowhere to be found. Could this all have been some kind of misunderstanding? I wanted to call him, but then I remembered that he had taken my phone away. He had said it would ruin the appearance of my dress. Seeing that I wasn't responding, the service providers quickly gathered around me. "Nora, do you have another card?" "Why don't you call Mr. Gray?" My card had been frozen, and my phone wasn't with me. A strange sense of dread slowly crept over me. I had only frozen Julie's card last week, and now mine had been frozen. Could it really be nothing more than a coincidence? But the thought was ridiculous. Kane and I had been together for three years. How could he deliberately set me up and humiliate me for the sake of an assistant? I borrowed someone's phone and dialed Kane's number. But before the call even connected, his ringtone sounded nearby. The crowd instinctively moved aside. Kane walked toward me with his arm wrapped around Julie's waist. The way they stood together, so close and affectionate, made it look as though they were the true couple being celebrated at this engagement ceremony. "Looks like someone is having a terrible day." One of Kane's friends spoke first, his voice loud enough for every guest around to hear. "Isn't this Nora? The one who loves freezing other people's cards? So, how does it feel now that you've gotten a taste of it yourself?" The guests gathered around, all waiting to watch the drama unfold. Even the comments in the livestream had started shifting. A: [She's only a human. What gives her the right to bully a werewolf? She became arrogant because she had the Alpha's favor.] B: [Why would Kane ever want to get engaged to someone like her?] C: [I heard her family went bankrupt years ago. She got lucky but still doesn't know her place. She should have been grateful and stayed obedient instead of pretending she was someone important.] Being publicly humiliated, I tightened my fists until my nails dug into my skin, but I refused to let go. Kane casually kissed Julie's lips before turning his gaze toward me. "At the royal racecourse last time, Julie only wanted to help me expand my connections. But you acted so aggressively and forced her to drink wolfsbane. This is your punishment." A cold laugh escaped me. So this was all part of his plan. Kane had set me up today and made me lose face, all because he wanted to make his assistant happy. I didn't show the slightest sign of fear, and that only made them more irritated. His expression darkened as the overwhelming pressure of an Alpha descended on me. "Apologize to Julie right now, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened." At that moment, Kane looked like a complete stranger. It was as if I had never truly known him. But three years ago, the man who had stood outside my apartment every day, bringing me breakfast through wind and rain, had been nothing like this. He was the Alpha of the Gray Pack, a once-in-a-generation talent who had awakened his wolf spirit before reaching adulthood. From the moment he first saw me, he had appeared outside my home every single day, no matter the weather, all for the sake of bringing me breakfast. I had never even given him much of a response. Later, when I got into trouble at the grocery store where I worked, Kane had rushed in without hesitation. He had taken down four werewolves alone, but he had also suffered three broken ribs and nearly lost his life. Inside the ambulance, he had promised that he would love and protect me for the rest of his life. Then he asked if I would become his mate. I agreed. Half because I had been moved, and half because he had nearly died for me. I owed him my life. But now, he was holding an Omega by the waist and humiliating me in front of everyone, without a trace of guilt in his eyes. I stared at them coldly, the smile on my face never reaching my eyes. "If anyone should be apologizing, it should be the two of you." My voice wasn't loud, but the livestream camera was aimed directly at me. The entire venue went silent for a moment. The people around me still wore mocking smiles, but surprise flickered in their eyes. No one had expected me to challenge an Alpha in front of everyone. "You were engaged to me, yet you kissed Julie in public. That is cheating. I will bring this matter before the Alpha Council for judgment."